Railway truck



Sept. 9, 1947. v J, H, POR-[EUS A 2,427,066

RAILWAY TRU'CK Filed'Jan. 17, 1944 4 sheets-shet 1 'e INVENTOR.,`

Jon MMR/@115' Sept. 9,A 1947. J. H. Po-RTEUS f 2,427,066

' RAILWAY. TRUCK l Filed Jan. 17, V1944 4 Shets-sheet 2 Sept. 9, 194'?. J. H. PRTEUS RAILWAY TRUCK Filed Jan. 17, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TQRNEY BY /-all Patented Sept. 9, 1947 RAILWAY TRUCK John H. Porteus, Wellesley, Mass., assignor to The Baldwin Locomotive Works, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 17, 1944, Serial N o. 518,633

This invention relates generally to railway trucks that are particularly adapted for, but not necessarily limited to, passenger car service.

The relatively high speeds with which presentday trains travel, or even possibly higher speeds that thei7 may travel in the future, require smooth riding qualities that are not only conducive to increased passenger comfort but also to greater safety. While a great many attempts have heretofore been made to meet this problem, yet these prior attempts have been decient from various functional, structural or economic aspects.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved railway truck that insures a high degree of smooth riding qualities combined with safe and stable operating characteristics which I have accomplished by arranging and combining various elements in such a Way that forces and motions imparted to the wheels by rail joints, exibility of track and road bed, and irregular conditions of the track and road bed Will be quickly and smoothly compensated for With minimum effects upon the car body.

Another object is to provide anirnproved truck having the foregoing qualities and also having the elements so arranged and the masses so distributed that the center of percussion of each Wheel assembly lies near or within the pair of vertical lines containing between them the points at which the wheel contacts rail joints, switches, frog points and other usual sources of disturbance, thereby to minimize the transmission of dynamic forces and motions to the other parts of the truck and to the car body. Broadly, I have accomplished this by transforming the energy of trans* lation imparted during impact to the unsprung mass or wheel assembly partly or entirely into the energy of rotation about the axis connecting the unsprung mass or Wheel assembly to the remainder of the truck.

A further object is to provide an improved truck which, considering the accomplishments of the foregoing and other desirable characteristics, is relatively compact and yet is readily accessible for inspection and repair while at the same time being readily adapted for application to existing car equipment with minimum change thereof.

A further object is to provide an improved truck that will eliminate or minimize the tendencir of weaving or nosing as it travels, particularly at high speeds.

Another object is to provide an improved truck which, by virtue of having varying-rate springs or springs with varying mechanical advantage ratios, will not have its dynamic forces and mo- 3 Claims. (Cl. 105-180) tions materially increased by vibrating in resonance with regularly recurring disturbances such as rail joints.

A still further object is to provide an improved combination between a truck of predetermined operating characteristics and means for stabilizing and controlling relative movements between various component parts of the truck so as to positively maintain both a high degree of coordination between the path of the wheel center and the prole of the track, and a low degree of coordination between the paths of all points in the car body and the profile of the track.

In accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as other objects of the invention, such as will be'apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, I effectivelyemploy knee-action for the Wheels together with the ability to transform vertical wheel motion into horizontal spring motion and at the same time permit the massesof the yoke-and-Wheel assemblies to be so distributed that any impediments on the rail will strike the wheels at or near vertical lines through the centers of percussion of the yoke-and-wheel assemblies and thereby reduce the tendency to move the bolster upwardly. To minimize weaving or nosing of the truck, I utilize certain of the independent characteristics of knee-action and combine therewith means for allowing but positively controlling lateral movement of the individual wheels whereby they accommodate themselves to irregular lateral conditions in the track. Specifically,v this is obtained by supporting the wheels of axles preferably in rubber or by other equivalent laterally yieldable means in such a manner that will allow the individual Wheels to have small degrees of independent adapting movement.

-Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

"Fig 1 is a side elevation of my improved truck with certain parts broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken substantially on each of the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is a modified spring seating support;

Fig. 5 is a plan vieW of Fig. 1 with parts broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a modified rubber arrangement for holding the wheel in Iixed relation to the wheel supporting frame of the truck while still allowing independent lateral adapting movement of the individual wheels;

Fig. 8 is a further modification in which metallic yieldable means is used in place of the rubber of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 9-is a sectional view of an improved ilexr ible support between the swing links and their points of connection to the bolster and car body;

Fig. 10 is an additional modified rubber supporting arrangement of wheels having a rotate able axle in distinction to the non-rotatable axles of the other forms;

Fig. 11 is a partial sectionalview of a floating type centerpin; and

Fig. 12 is a modied formi of, truck:

The particular embodiments of the invention disclosed herein illustrate certain specic forms among possible others that the invention might take in practice and` comprise,.Figs. 1, 2 andi 5 a frame referred to herein for conveniencev as either a rigid frame or transom generally indicated at I having two central pivot. supports 2 and outer pivot supports` 3, all. located toward the ends of the frame. The inner andfouter. bear-I ing supports are suitably connected together by transversely extending horizontal web structures 4 and. 5. The main or central, transverse portion I of the rigid frame-is relatively deep somewhat inthe nature of a transom. The four independent and individual wheel and axle units generally indicated at 6. are mounted in separate wheel frames I2 comprising, speciically a yoke 9 and an enclosure portion 8 which are connected together by bolted iianges IU. These ilanges are preferablyr vertically'split across the axis of the wheel shafts to provide a single and rugged means of assembling and supporting the wheel andaxle units. 'Ihe yoke 9'. is provided with atongue I4r disposed in the bifurcated bearingv support 3Y and connected together by a pivot bolt II. Alsothe yoke-9 has an inwardlyy projecting. arm I2 with a supportingtongue I3 extending into the centrally disposed; bifurcated. support 2. It'will`V be understood that the truck is symmetrical about both its transverse and longitudinal centerlines except that certain parts are rightV and left handed. For instance, as shown in Fig. 5, thev yoke supportingv arms I2; ofY opposed wheel and axle units; extend'inwardly and have tongues I 3- commonly supported. in and connected to pivotal supporty 2 by a pivot bolt I5. The distance between theouter pins I I andY inner pin I5 insures maximumsturdinessand stability between the pivotally'supportedi wheel frames. 'Iv and the rigid frame I'.

The spring system comprises four sets of springs, each set including a' plurality of: horizontal springs I6, speciically shown as four in num ber, interposed betweena transverse wallof the central portion I of the rigid frame and the rear wall I8 ofthe yoke-9, this rear lwall I8. extending upwardly'as shown in Fig.. 1` sufficiently to accommodate two pairs of theV springs I6 in superimposedl relation to eachother. It will be understood that the ends.` of the:v springs are seated in suitable'- recesses in. both the rigid frame and end wall I8.and.the springsare Vof' such degree of flexibility as maybe required for any given weight of load. to be carriedy by the truck. Either end, or both ends, of the springs can, if desired, be seated. in an equalizing member I6a pivotalaly supported at Ibeupon Wheel frame portion Any suitable means may be employed to limit the extent of movement of the individual wheel units in case of spring breakage or other causes, but preferably this means, as shown i`n Fig. 5, comprises for each wheel frame a rod 20 pivotally connected at 2I to the bolster I and extending through a suitably enlarged opening in a stop lug"2.'2"formedv as. a part offthe yoke 9. A collar 23 is rigidly secured to rod- 20 while a second collar 24 is suitably held in place by a nut. Suitable resilient pads 25 such as rubber, or springs if. desired, are supported against the collars and adapted to engage the lug 22 in the event of excessive pivotal movement of the wheel yokes.

To support the car body on the truck and to transmit a draftr or braking load between the car body and truck while still allovwlng maximum ilexibility in the nature of a universal action, I havev shown two cooperative connecting means between the truck and car body as follows: As shown in Figs. l and 2, the rigid frame I has transverse slots 2.8 at each side thereof located along. its transverse centerline, these slots extending slightly inwardly of the bolster and being located preferably between the ends of the opposed springs on opposite sidesv of the frame. Also, aY pair ofv trunnion supports in the nature of ears 30 project upwardly from the upper surface of bolster I to support outwardly inclined hanger links 3l. These links are universally connected at their upper ends to the ears 30 as shown in Fig. 3 by employing a semi-spherical member 32 disposed-.in a splitsemifspherical seat 33:2 removably supported in link' 3|. A bolt 34 extends through the ears 30 and-member 32 to connect these members together. The member 32Y is assembled with its splitV seat members 33 while the latter are removed from link 31| and then inserted inthe link opening. Similarly, the lower end of the hanger links 3| are swivellyconnected to car body arms 3,1 which are secured to anddepend from the car frame generally indicated at 38. The structure of the swivel connections` at the lower ends of links 3| need not: be described as they are identical to the connectionsv atthe upper ends of the links. The pin aty the lower end of the arm is identified as 34f merely to distinguish it4 from upper pin 34; From this arrangement it is seen that as the car passes around' curves the truck can freely and easily turn relative to the car.

Al draft tongue 40, Fig. 5, has a reduced stem 4I extending through a suitably enlarged opening in a frame wall 42` which separates two recesses 43 and 44. Yieldable means preferably laminated rubber pads 45 are secured between the wall 42- and the outer end of stem 4.I.while similar rubber pads are interposed between wall 42 and an axially adjustable plate 46 which may be suitably adjusted by screws 41 threadedV in a suitable ange onV rod 4U. By adjusting the screws- 41 therubber pads 45; on each side of wall 42 will be compressedl to any desireddegree depending upon the draft loadv and the degree of universal flexibility desired. 'Ihe upper end of draft tongue 40 is connected to the car body. by a suitable ball and socket connection 49. It will beunderstood that the flexible connection 45, etc. atv the lower endl of the draft tongue will i allow the tongue to have suflicient movement in vertical, lateral or other directions. The recesses 43 and 44 are preferably located at4 the longitudinalV centerline of the rigid frame as shown in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the car body and frame have very little vertical movementbetween.

each other, it is seen that comparatively small vertical movement of draft tongue 40 will take place.

My improved Wheel and yoke assembly or frame comprises, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a preferably stationary wheel axle 5I provided, if necessary, with a metallic sleeve 52 to which a rubber sleeve 53 is secured preferably by vulcanization. In any event, the rubber sleeves 53, one at each end of each axle, are firmly held in wheel frame 1 by being clamped in suitable opposed recesses by the bolted iianges I0. The rubber sleeves are thereby iirmly held in fixed relation to the truck structure, but nevertheless the rubber allows such degree of axle movement in an axial direction as may be necessary to allow the wheels to adapt themselves to lateral irregularities of the track. This feature, combined with the individual and independently movable axles for each wheel, allows opposed wheels to move outwardly or inwardly simultaneously, or one at a time, or in any other combination or sequence that is momentarily conducive` to maintaining maximum cooperation between the wheel flanges and the tracks. Such cooperation resides in providing little or no clearance between the flanges and tracks and of maintaining such close clearance regardless of usual variations in the lateral spacing between the rails along the length of the track. My improved flange clearance control,

so-to-speak, eliminates or minimizes weaving or nosing of the truck which heretofore has been a very serious problem resulting from the necessity of having the wheels initially set` to run with a substantial iiange clearance which Ycontinually varies during operation of a train. Such substantial flange clearance in prior practice has been necessary, not only to take care of varying track spacing, but also to allow movement around curves. With my improved features I materially reduce such clearance and obtain the desirab-le results previously pointed out and in addition I can effectively employ cylindrical insteadof conical wheel treads. Furthermore, the rubber sleeves function to absorb or eliminate noise. The Wheels themselves are suitably journalled on the normally stationary axle by any desired means such as roller bearings 54, although as shown in Fig. a rotatable axle 55 may be journalled in bearings 55a supported in the Wheel yokes 'I with rubber rings 55h around the bearings.

Regardless of the type of bearing or axle, the wheel and axle unit, together with the wheel frame and its xed pivotal connection with `the rigid frame, provides a unitary structure with connections of single fixed position. This insures maximum stability and rigidity combined with a high degree of flexibility.

To facilitate smooth riding of the truck, I utilize not only the knee action operation of the individually sprung wheels but also the universal flexible connections between the truck and car body and then employ hydraulic piston and cylinder stabilizers of the activated type between various elements of my improved truck. For instance, between each wheel frame and the upper outer sides of the rigid frame portion I' is a piston 56 pivotally connected at 51 to the yoke 1 while a cylinder 58 pivotally connected to a support 59 is secured to the top of frame portion I. There are four of these piston and cylinder assemblies 56, one located at each corner of the rigid frame connected to the four individually sprung wheel and yoke assemblies. As shown in Fig. 2, a similar stabilizer piston 60 and cylinder 6I extend transversely of the car frame 38 and frame I and are pivotally connected thereto as shown. Hydraulic iluid for the opposite ends of each cylinder is connected by suitable pipes to a pump and is controlled by automatic inertia control valves which are responsive to the acceleration or deceleration of the individual yokes 9. Such pump and valve control per se do not constitute a part of my invention except insofar as l'. have brought the controlled pistons and cylinders into cooperative relationship to the individually sprung wheels and car body. Hence it will suftice to state that as relative movements occur between these various parts with varying rates of acceleration or deceleration the pistons and cylinders will operate to smooth out the peaks and valleys of such movements. The pistons and cylinders are located so as to insure maximum cooperation with respect to the horizontal springs and thereby require minimum size pistons and cylinders, but at the same time permitting full use to be made of inherent iiexible qualities and arrangement of the horizontal spring construction.

In place of the ball and seat joint for the swing links shown in Fig. 3, I may employ a novel rubber type universal connection at each end of the link 3| consisting (Fig. 9) of a rubber sleeve 65 disposed between the pivot pin 66 and link. This sleeve will allow twisting of the link about its lengthwise axis as during turning of the truck around curves.

Also, a floating centerpin 68 may be used instead of the swing links. In this case the centerpin 68 is centered from four sides by springs such as 6B while hydraulic stabilizers IIJ of the positive pressure activated type are adapted upon supply of pressure to their cylinders to lift the car *bodyV 38 su-iiiciently to clear the centerpin of any surface contact with frame I. The pistons and cylinders of the stabilizers have pivotal connections with the car body and rigid frame to insure free turningof the truck. Stops 'II support the body 38 when pressure to the stabilizer cylinders is discontinued.

A further feature that may be used either in place of, or supplemental to, the rubber sleeves of the wheels, is the provision of springs 'I3 disposed behind the tongues I3, Fig. 5, which have slightly enlarged pin openings to permit lateral movement of the wheels against the yielding action of springs 13. The outer pivot pins II will have sufficient clearance to permit the small degree of lateral adapting movement of the wheels. If desired, the springs 13 may be omitted in which case the holes for central pivot pin I5 will closely iit the pin, thereby causing all lateral movement to be compensated for in the rubber sleeve.

As shown in Fig. 7, a stationary axle 'I5 has a wheel journalled thereon through bearings 'I6 while a rubber sleeve 11 is interposed between the bearings and axle to provide the necessary clearance adjustment.

In place of rubber sleeves for the wheels, suitable metallic means such as coil springs 18 may be placed at each end of a non-rotatable but axially slidable axle 19. The wheel is preferably journalled on the axle through bearings 80.

In the modiiication shown in Fig. 12, I provide two wheel and axle units instead of four units as in the preferred form. The two units each have a single'axle 80 with two wheels 8I xed thereto, the axles being supported in wheel frames similar to those of the preferred form. The trucks of both forms are otherwise generally similar and henceorresponding, elementszaregiverr thersame: reference? numbers.- It; willro. coursefbef under-- stoodithatthe.- axle hearingsfEZ maybe; ifdesired; ofthe' self-aligning type to: allow some degree: ofi freedom. of.' verticali. movement of? the individual Wheelsi. Also; becausez of. the single axle. and

wheels'. rigidly connected" thereto, it is-timpos'sible toemploy the'- automatic iiange clearance r controlE oithe'fpreferredi form.

From the disclosure herein, it is seen that I'- ment of` parts vmaybe made by those skilled inthe artlwithout departing from the spiritv ofV theinvention as set forthin-tlieappended claims.

I claim:

l Ax railway truck comprising, in combination, alrigidframe, a plurality of individual wheel and axle'A units, a Wheel frame for each Wheel and axle unitpivotally connected to said rigid frame for supportingthe unit, said wheel frames havingD ayokeA each endl of which terminates adjacent the-wheel axle'at opposite sides of the Wheel, and a closure member extending around the wheel and removably secured to said yoke whereby upon removal of' said closure member the wheel and axle' unit may be bodily removed.

25 Arailway truckI comprising, in combination, arigid frame, a plurality of wheel and axle units, wheel frames-pivotally connected to said rigid frame for individually supporting said wheel and axle' units so that they may move vertically entirelyseparately of each other, each of said wheel fra-mes having a portion extending substantially vertically above the horizontal plane of said pivotal connection and disposed in opposition to transverse sides of said rigid frame, horizontal springs interposed between said vertically extending' portions of the wheel frames and the transverse sides of the rigid frame whereby vertical movement of the wheels is resisted by horizontal springforces thereby reducing the tendency to vertically move the rigid frame, and hydraulic stabilizing pistonand cylinder elements respectively connected to said rigid frame andto the vertically extending portion of the Wheel and axlelframes.

v3; Aarailway truck comprising, in combination, aLrigidframe, a plurality of wheel and axle units,

wheel frames; pivotally.-4 connected tosaid: rigidi frame; for individuallyy supporting-said' wheel and.' axle units so that they may move verticallyA entirely'separately 'of each other, each of saidtwheel frames.having a: portion extendingA substantially verticallyabove the horizontal plane of saidpvotal connection: and disposed in opposition'V to transverse side's of said' rigidirame, horizontaly springs interposed between saidf verticallyextend ing: portionsof the wlel; frames" and the'trans'- verse: sidesv of the rigid frame whereby vertical.' movementoi"l the wheels is resisted by horizontal? spring' forcesf thereby reducing tlie. tendencyl to.' verticallymo've the rigidframe, and substantially' horizontally extending hydraulic' stabilizing' piston andcylinderelements disposed'in substantially horizontal planes overlying saidsprings, the-piston and cylinder elementsbeing respectivelyconnected to the rigid'f'rame'and t'o the: vertically extending'portions of Vther wheel Aframes, whereby individual and independent vertical movements of each wheel are separately' controlled l JoHNfH. PORTEUS.'

REFERENCES CITED The followingref'erences are of record in. the file of this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numberl N ame. Date 1,861,866. Knox yet al June 7,1932. 1,211,789" rL'hompson Jan. 9,1917

173,257 Beach Feb.. 8, 1876 173,919 Dotterer Feb. 22,1876I 2,161,685 Schoepf et al.. June 6,1939 1,652,265 Baker Dec. 13,. 1927 24,268,267" Sheesley Dec. 30,1941l V2,271,195- Joy Jan. 27, 1942 1,036,952v Armstrong Aug. 27,1912. 1,494,965. Szekely May 20,1924. 2,123,053" K'jolseth July 5,1938. 2,197,727' Ledwinka Apr.. 16, 1940 2,25L9`50 Piron Aug.- 12', v,19.41, 2,286,608- Eksergian .Iune.16, 19'42V 1,120,407 RiegelA Dec..8, 1914 2,197,110 Muchnic Apr. 16, 1940. 2,225,242 Van Dorn` et al. Dec. .17, v19401 970,607 Amberg. Nov. 12.,.19-07A 2,250,988 Eksergian July 29, 194.1n 1,974,018 Edmunds Sept. 18, 1934-v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country. Date.

Switzerland Mar. 1, 1938v 

